Reps. McClain, Dingell Introduce Mapping the Great Lakes Act

Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced the Mapping the Great Lakes Act today. The bill would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct high-resolution mapping of the Great Lakes lakebed, and finish by 2030. The bill would authorize $200 million for the project. Today, only 15% of the Great Lakes lakebed has been mapped in high density, and many of the maps that do exist use decades-old research.

"Investing in comprehensive Great Lakes exploration will offer Michigan and the U.S. an enhanced look at what these bodies of water offer and bring forth a new chapter of success and prosperity to the Great Lakes economy and beyond," Rep. McClain said in a press release you can read here. "Comprehensively exploring and mapping the Great Lakes will strengthen our understanding of their underwater environment so that we can better protect them and the many species they contain and continue to foster the economic prosperity they have supported for generations," Rep. Dingell added.

New technologies such as LiDAR and modern sonar allow researchers to collect data and make maps that would have been impossible not long ago. High definition mapping would show objects as small as shipwrecks, pipelines, or cables. Mapping the Great Lakes in high definition would inform environmental protection and fishery management, help us understand how climate change is affecting the Lakes, and offer opportunities for exploration.

"Fully exploring the world's largest freshwater lake system is imperative," Jennifer Boehme, CEO of the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) said. "This exploration aims to unveil the secrets of shipwrecks, ancient civilizations, and underwater ecosystems, as well as address national security concerns and the impacts of a changing climate." GLOS has spearheaded the Lakebed 2030 initiative, which has convened experts to explore the potential for lakebed mapping.

To learn more about how high definition mapping could happen, and the benefits it could bring, explore GLOS' Lakebed 2030 page here.

Read the Mapping the Great Lakes Act here.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Holds WRDA Hearing 

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a Members’ Day hearing last Thursday on the Water Resources and Development Act of 2024 (WRDA). Many Great Lakes representatives spoke on their requests to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) urged the committee to "expand the scope of the Harmful Algal Bloom Demonstration program authorized in the WRDA 2020,” to ensure that Lake Erie programs would receive funding. “The expertise of Corps scientists and engineers is invaluable in the fight against the devastation wrought by HABs,” she said. 

She also touched on the need to complete the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Infrastructure Project, which would protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp. While the project is fully funded from previous WRDA bills, the state cost share requirement provides a final hurdle. “The Committee can further ensure implementation by modifying the cost sharing for operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, and rehabilitation of the measures,” she said. 

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) talked about contaminated drinking water and the danger of lead pipes. “Millions of people across Southeast Michigan – and the country – are still getting their water from lead pipes, and we haven’t dedicated close to enough money or mobilized resources to address this threat as quickly as we need,” she said. Rep. Tlaib requested that WRDA “streamlines the real estate requirements for replacing lead service lines on private property.” Coordination between public utilities and private property owners remains an impediment to lead pipe removal. 

Finally, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) asked the committee to include language that would help harbors access federal funds. Smaller communities have fewer resources, and thus a harder time finding funding. “The answer here is to make sure that we're revising WRDA in a manner that actually allows smaller communities, in particular those along the Great Lakes, to be able to access federal funds that already exist,” he said. 

The deadline for Congressional offices to submit WRDA proposals has now passed. The Committee’s attention now turns to drafting the bill, which they previously said they plan to introduce this spring. 

NEMWI will continue to monitor the WRDA process

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